| Boiling Point | 177–181°C (lit.) |
| Melting Point | −43°C (lit.) |
| Density | 1.1 g/mL at 25°C (lit.) |
| Flash Point | 67°C (163°F) |
| Assay Percent Range | 99%, Stabilized |
| Linear Formula | C6H5CH2Cl |
| Formula Weight | 126.59 |
| Physical Form | Liquid |
| Chemical Name or Material | Benzyl Chloride, stabilized |
| UN Number | UN1738 |
| Molecular Weight | 126.58 g/mol |
| SMILES String | ClCc1ccccc1 |
| Merck Index | 14, 1129 |
| Solubility Information | Miscible with alcohol,ether; Insoluble in waterMiscible with alcohol,ether and chloroform. |
| Beilstein | 471308 |
| Refractive Index | n20/D 1.538 (lit.) |
| CAS Number | 100-44-7 |
| NACRES | NA.22 |
| PubChem Substance ID | 24851148 |
| UNSPSC Code | 12352300 |
| MDL Number | MFCD00000889 |
| InChI | 1S/C7H7Cl/c8-6-7-4-2-1-3-5-7/h1-5H,6H2 |
| InChI Key | KCXMKQUNVWSEMD-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| Beilstein/REAXYS Number | 471308 |
| Quality Level | 200 |
| Reference Assay | 99%, stabilized (ReagentPlus®, contains ≤1% propylene oxide as stabilizer) |
| Applications | Benzylating agent for protecting alcohols and carboxylic acids (benzyl ether/ester formation) |
Benzyl Chloride is an organochlorine compound in which a chlorine atom is attached to the benzylic carbon adjacent to a phenyl ring. That benzylic C–Cl bond is highly reactive toward nucleophiles, which is why benzyl chloride is a go-to reagent for introducing benzyl protecting groups onto alcohols and carboxylic acids, and for benzylating aromatic rings via Friedel-Crafts alkylation.
Benzyl chloride’s principal use is as a benzylating agent — reacting with alcohols to form benzyl ethers and with carboxylic acids to form benzyl esters, both common protecting-group strategies in multistep organic synthesis. It’s also used in Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions, such as the preparation of 4-methoxydiphenylmethane from anisole.
Sigma Aldrich’s GHS classification includes carcinogenicity and mutagenicity warnings — please ensure this reaches your EHS/compliance team before publishing.
